Garage door operating mechanism



Nov. 14, 1933. A. F. FooTE GARAGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. l0

NOV. 14, 1933. A, F, FOTE GARAGE DooR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 10, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 14, 1933. A. F. FooTE GARAGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. l0, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedY Nov. 14, 1933 fo FFICE,

' 1,935,315 l GARAGE DOOR OPERATING `MECHANISM Arthur F. Foote, New Haven, Conn. v

Application september 10, 1932 l Serial No. 632,537

claims. (crass- 63) This 'invention relates Ytol an improvement in garage door operating mechanisms and particularly to mechanisms operated-by electricity, the object ofV the invention beingto provide means 5 whereby garage doors may be opened or closed by the closing v,of an electric circuit, with provision for manually opening one door suiiciently to permit a person to enter or leave, and also to quickly stop the doors in any position while opening or closing. Y

The inventionv consists in the constructionv and arrangement 'of parts as hereinafter described and particularly'recited inthe claims.

In lthe accompanying drawings: r

Fig. 1 is a plan View of my improved garage door operating mechanism, showing the parts in the closed position Fig. 2 is a side viewof rthe same;

line 3 3 Vof Fig. 3 is a sectionalview on' the zo F152;` I

Y' Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 of Fig.2; 'A

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig.2;

Fig-6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 or Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7--7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8'l is a plan view showing the position of the partswhen the doors are open and indicating the electricall connections foroperating the motor; Vand I Fig. 9 is a broken'perspective View of the operating rod.

In carrying Aout my invention, I employ two parallel L rails 10 supported at their forward ends by a bracket ll'secured to the front wall`l2 of the building which isfpro-vided with doors 13 and 14, the rear ends of the rails being supported by hanger platesy 15 and 16 which are suspended from above by braces 17. Mounted on the topsV of therails and adjustably secured thereto is a platform 18 on which is mounted on electric motor 19,-to the shaft 20 of which is iixeda worm 21 meshing with a worm gear 22, mounted at the upper end of a stud 23 extending downwardr through a vertical'bearing 24. Mounted onthe platform and secured tothe lower end of fthe stud 23 is a sprocket wheel 25 and this sprocket wheel sprocket 27, supported at the rear of the rails in a plate 28 secured to the rails by transverse braces 29. n Y 1 i Below and parallel with ,therails is 'a tubular 55 rod 30 supported at its forward end in a yoke 31 is'connected'by a sprocket chain 26 with a'v whichis mounted on rollers 32 to run upon the flanges33 of the rails, the rear end of therod being supported in ahanger34 depending from the' plate 28. Mounted on the rod is a iiXed collar 35 and forward of this iixed collar 35 is a sliding 60 collar 36`to which is pivoted a'ilink 37 extending to a bracket 38 oiset from the door 13, and in rear of the collar 35 is a sliding collar 39 to whichis pivoted a link 40 extending to a bracket 41 secured k to and offset from the door 14. 65

The icollar 39 is coupled with the rod 30 by a screw stud 42 extending into a slot 43 in the tubular rod Scand the collar 36 islikewise secured to the rod 30 by a screw stud 44 extending through l a slot 45 in the rod 30, this slot 45 being elongated 70 for lthe purpose as will hereinafter appear, and the stud 44 is extended to have connected with it one end of a spring 46, the other end being connected with a pin 47 carried by the rear end of the tubular rod 30. The chain 26 ,is connected 75 with the collar 39 by a link 48.

`The sprocket chain is provided. at equidistant points with upwardly-'extending pins 49k adapted to engage with a cam 50 atthe lower end of a stud V51 which is provided atits upper end `with an arm 80 52 connected by a link 53 with the operating lever 54 of a switch 55. l

The vshaft 20 passes between vjaws 56 and 57 mounted on a bracket 58, the arms 59 and 60 of the jaws being coupled by links Gland 62 85 with one arm 63 of a'lever 64, the other arm 65 of which is connected to the armature 66 of a solenoid magnet 67`whichwhen deenergized will close the jaws and clamp, them upon the shaft, the jaws being'normally held inv their closed po- 90 sition by a spring 68.

Cine oi the main lines 69 of the electric circuit runs'direct t0 the motor, the other line 70 running through a circuiteb'reaker 71 to one contact 96 ofa switch S7, thence from the other con- 95 tact r by a wire 84 to a contact 72 of a switch r73, thence from the other contact 94 by a wire 78 to the lswitch 55, which is normally open when the device is at rest. The switch is connected by a wire 75 withthe wire 76 which extends from 100 vone side oi the motor to the solenoid 67, the other side of the solenoid'67 being lconnected by a wire 77 with the main line 69. To start the motor vfrom theoutside, a switch 80, which may be controlled from the outside by allock 81, will be mo- 105 mentarily closed, closing a circuit by a wire v"connected vwith the wire 76, temporarily cutting out the-switch 55'until the motor starts and the pins 49 leave the cam 50, allowing the spring 92 vt0 hold. the switch' 55 closed until another set 110 of pins operate the cam 50 to open the switch 55. The wire 75 is also connected by a Wire 90 with a switch 91 adapted, when in contact with a wire 88, to close a circuit through the wire 93, thus cutting out the switch 55 and starting the motor and energizing the solenoid 67 the same as when the momentary switch 80 is closed.

In approaching the garage, the driver, without leaving the car, closes the switch 90 which momentarily starts the motor to move the pins 49 away from the cam 50 so as to close the circuit through the switch 55. This also energizes the solenoid 67 and releases the jaws 56 and 57 from engagement with the shaft 20.

In case one is inside the garage, the switch 91 is closed,`which closes a circuit through lines 93 and 90 to the solenoid and motor. The switch 91 inside the garage provides for momentarily closing the lines 93 and 90 so as to startthe motor sufliciently to cause the pins 49 to move away from the camvarm 50 allowing the spring 92 to close the switch-55, as before described. The doors being closed, the switch is moved to close the circuit through the motor, which will energize the solenoid 67, to release the clutches 56 and 57 from the shaft 20. At the same time the motor starts and moves the chain, moving the pins 49 away from the cam 50, allowing the spring 92 to close the switch 55, which completes the circuit through the wires 75, 78 and through the switches 73 and 87, which are normally closed so that the circuit is closed through the motor, which'will continue to run until the switch 55 is opened automatically by the engagement of the pins 49 with the cam 50.

The chain being connected with the rod 30 through the connecting link 48 will move that rod forward so as to cause the links 37 and 40 to push the doors open, the collar 39 having a slight movement in advance of the collar 36, which will cause the d oor 14 to start rto open slightly ahead of the door 13. The continued forward movement of the rod 30 forces the doors to the full open position. In this position, the other set of pins engages the cam 50, opening the circuit through the switch 55, and at the same time deenergizing the solenoid 67 to apply the clamps 56 and 57 to arrest the movement of the rod and at the same time stop the motor, all the currents being broken through the switch 55.

As shown in broken lines in Fig. 8, the parts are in an intermediate position, the link 48'al in this gure representing the position of the link in the opening movement and so that when the chain has moved around the sprocket 27, the pins 49 will move the cam 50 and a plurality of pins are employed so as to make sure that the cam is held in the open position for a'suicient time.

When the pins 49 come in contact with the cam 50 and the link has passed a dead center line and moved in the opposite direction, as indicated by 48h, the rod will be moved backward and by the time the link passes the sprocket 27, the second set Vof pins will engage with the cam to open the circuit and stop the motor.

The door 13 may beopened to a slight extent as the` collar 36 will slide on the rod 30, so that the collar may be moved on the rod to the end of the slot 45, the spring 46 bringing it back when the ldoor is released. I-n the closing movement of thefdoor Aby the motor, the door 13 will be closed yslightly in advance of the door 14.

-In case of an emergency, the motor may be supporting the same,-a rod below and supported by said rails and longitudinally movable, a stop collar fixed to the rod, a collar coupled with the rod in 'rear of the fixed collar and connected with one door, a collar also coupled with said rod forward of the fixed collar, connection between this forward collar and the other door, means for moving said rod, including a chain, a link con'-Y necting the chain with the said rod, and vmeans for moving said chain. Y

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with two parallel rails, means for lsupporting the same, a tubular rodV below and supported by said rails and. longitudinally movable, a stop collar fixed to the rod, a collar coupled with the rod in rear of the xed collar and connected with one door, a collar also coupled with said rod forward of the fixed collar, connection between this forward collar and the other door, means for moving said rod, including two sprockets and a chain, a' link connecting the chain with said fixed collar on thev rod, and mean for turning said sprockets. Y

3. In a device of the character' described, comprising two parallel horizontal rails, meansfor supporting the same, a tubular rod, a yoke at the forward end of said rod provided with rollers running on said rails, a support for the other end of the rod, a platform secured to said rails, an electric motor mounted on said platform, said motor having a shaft carrying a worm, a worm gear mounted on said platform and upon a vertical stud, a sprocket wheel mounted on the lower end of said stud, a sprocket wheelsupported near the rear ends of said rails, a chain around said sprockets, a link connecting the chain v.with said rod, a stop collar xed to said rod, an

inner collar coupled with said rod, a link extending from said collar to one of the doors, an outer collar also coupled with said rod, a link extending from the outer collar to the other door, sets of pins located at equidistant points `on the. chain, .Y i

a cam arranged in the path of said pins and adapted to be moved thereby, and a switch operated by said cam, whereby the current is turned oii through the motor.

4. In a device of the class described, comprising two horizontal parallel rails, means for supporting the same, a rod arranged below said rails, the rod supported at its outer end in la yoke provided with rollers bearing on said rails and guided at its rear end, a collar fixed to said rod, a platform secured to said rails, a sprocket wheel mounted below said platform, a sprocket wheel mounted near the rear end of the rails, a sprocket chain connecting said sprockets, a link connecting said chain with said collar, a worm gear connected with the first mentioned sprocket wheel, a motor having a worm meshing with said worm gear for turning the same, means operated by the movement of Y the chain to open the circuit through the motor and brake members opened by the said current.

5. In a device of the class described, comprising two horizontal parallel rails, means for supporting the same, Va rod arranged below said rails, the rod supported at its outer end in a yoke provided with rollers bearing on said rails and guided i 6. In a device of the character described,v comprising two horizontal parallel rails, means for supporting the same, a rod below said rails, supported at one end -by a yoke having rollers running on said rails and its rear end extending through a bearing, a platform mounted on said rails, a sprocket wheel supported on said platform, a second sprocket Wheel supported near the rear ends of the rai1s,'a sprocket chainpassing around said sprockets, a link coupling the chain with said rod, a Xed collar on said rod, an inner collar coupled with said rod, a link connecting said collar with one door, an outer collar coupled with said rod and connected by a link with the otherr door, a spring tending to draw the outer collar against the fixed collar but permitting the outer collar to be moved forward, and

means for driving said sprocket.

ARTHUR F. FOOTE. 

